Aspirations signal truce in major opposition party’s infighting

Santo Domingo.- The sector of Dominican Republic’s major opposition party (PRD) headed by ex president Hipólito Mejía aims to tap its own candidate for the organization’s presidency, to compete with current president Miguel Vargas, when he concludes the term for which he was elected.

The report comes after months of the bickering and chasm unleashed in the heels of the PRD’s defeat in the May 20 presidential election.

Mejia will meet noon Tuesday in his summer residence in San Cristobal with aspiring PRD president Tony Peña Guaba, one week after he announced his candidacy.

Peña said Enmanuel Esquea, Eligio Jaquez, Rafael Suberví, Andres Bautista and Alfredo Pacheco also seek the PRD presidency.

He said the proposed ground rules and the number of applicants from their sector will be discussed in Tuesday’s meeting, and the best positioned candidate would be presented later this year or in January 2013.

He revealed that ex vice presidential candidate Luis Abinader will also be present in the meeting, noting that the former candidate only seeks the PRD’s presidential ticket for the 2016 election.